The Calling
by APrairiefan
Summary: An Old Man, a stranger or could be A Angel how comes to The Ingalls family to help them after a tornado hits down on their v. Alden also helps to restore Charles faith in God.
1. Chapter 1

The Calling

Chapter 1:

It's Saturday evening the Ingalls are at their home sleeping. It's about 11:30 p.m. The sound of a strong wind. The Barn door slams shut, the animals are stirred up. A piece of wood crashes into the front window of the house shattering glass. Jack the family dog starts barking. The Ingalls awaken and Charles gets out of bed to see what's going on. Just as he is about to open the front door Laura looks over the loft railing and asks, "What is it Pa?"

Pa responds, "l don't know yet, Half-Pint, I'm going to look" He opens the door and steps outside. On the top of the hill a mighty tornado is whipping its way closer to the Ingalls' property. Pa. steps back into the house and yells, "Caroline, gather the girls and head to the saddy, NOW!" He adds, "IT'S A TORNADO."

They go into the saddy, Charles looks back and sees the roof blow off the barn. He goes to the barn to let the animals out then barely makes it back to the saddy before the left side wall falls in. A Calf bawls and dies the wall fell on it.

The terrible sound of the tornado passing by, Mary says trembling in body and in voice, "Pa...it's like...the sound of a fright train, Oh, Pa!"

Pa hugs his family and tells them he loves them.

The morning comes the Ingalls walk out of the saddy and sees the damage: The Chickens are all dead, the wheat crop that Charles needed to pay some debts with is ruined, One of the horses Charles still owed on got a broken leg, all but two walls of the barn fell to the ground and then they saw the calf crushed by the barn wall and his mother standing by the body of her dead baby. Carrie had began crying since they all looked at the damage. Now they all were crying even Charles started weeping.

Charles asked, "Tell me what it is Caroline I tried to please God. I make sure my family goes to church. We have family Alter with the girls. I give above and beyond to the Church. I try to be a good neighbor. Why is God punishing me? Why doesn't he make his reasons plain? All this heartache for what?"

Caroline sympathetically responses, "Maybe He is testing our faith and love as he did with Job."

Charles responds back, "Well, I don't know maybe God is telling me to go back to the Big Woods and just simplify our lives. I mean what's a dirt farmer like me living so prosperous? Maybe I am getting too proud of myself. I'm living better than my father and my grandfather. 'Proud goeth before a fall,' well here is."

Caroline gently persuades, "Charles go to church with us today it'll do you some good and the girls need their fathers example please Charles, let's all go to Church today." So Charles relectantly goes to Church with his family.

The congregation sings, "In Times Like These" Reverend Alden opens his Bible to Philippians 4:19, "But my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus." He preaches from the text, only Charles sitting in the back with his family struggles to the believe it.

Church is dismissed, Caroline and the girls thank Reverend Alden for a great service. Charles however, distressed in his mind and spirit does not shake the Rev. Alden's hand on his way out.

The Ingalls go home to shattered windows, dusty bedsheets, dishes on the floor and flour spilled all over the place. After they clean up the mess Caroline fixes Sunday dinner. The only thing that was left unharmed by the tornado was a can of beans and some tea the sugar was ruined however. They sit down to eat and Charles says, "No sugar with the tea?"

"I'm afraid not." Caroline responds.

Charles gets more distraught and says, "Will it ever end?"

Just before they start eating there's a knock on the door, it's an old man a stranger. He explains to the Ingalls, "My horse threw a shoe and my wagon axle broke can you provide an old man some lodging?" The old man continues, "Oh and by the way I have some Salt Pork and some sugar to go with your dinner if you'll have me"

Caroline responds, "You'd be more than welcome, Charles help the man while I sweeten our tea and add this Salt Pork with our beans."

Charles helps the old man and his difficulties. The old man notices Charles' hurt horse and says, "I can fix it good as new my papa taught me how, let me please." So the old man works on Charles' horse's busted leg and reshoes his own horse and than says, "With you and me both working on the wagon axle together we'll have our her done lickety-split but after dinner your wife probably has a good meal ready for us by now. Say, I also have some fresh picked berries your family wouldn't mind if I shared them would they?"

"No Sir," Charles responded.

They all gather around the table and Charles does ask the blessings for the food wondering in his mind who this old man is and still uncertain of God right now. After dinner Charles and the old man work on the old man's axle and fixes it. The old man says to Charles, "Take a ride with me let's test the harvest of our work."

Charles says, "Alright, let me tell Caroline."

They are on their Wagon ride and coming from the opposite direction is Isaiah Edwards with a wagon load of lumber and shingles, "Hello Charles," Mr. Edwards calls out, Mr. Edwards continues, "Mr. Kennedy didn't need this lumber order after all, he told me to give it to you and how he couldn't thank you enough for the Pickled pears Caroline brought over two months ago he won't take no for an answer."

The old man adds, "The Lords does provide doesn't He?"

Charles nods yes, but still doesn't quite grasp what's all going on.

Charles, Mr. Edwards and the old man repairs Charles's Barn. They all go to bed later that evening and in the morning the old man, his horse and his wagon are gone and there is no fresh tracks on the muddy ground.

Charles is puzzled, Caroline outside with Charles wanting to invite him in for breakfast looking for him said, "Maybe he was sent from Heaven."

Charles pierced his lips and shakes his head in uncertainty.

Who was this old man, did God send him to help Charles and his family?

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

It's Monday morning Charles is still functioning on automatic as if in a goes to work and Mr. Hansen tells him and Mr. Edwards to get on the McCray lumber order. They start.

Meanwhile Rev. Alden is praying at the Church. He is aware of Charles' struggling and the devastation caused by the tornado. After a time of prayer Rev. Alden goes to the Mill seeking to speak with Charles. About the time Rev. Alden is walking by the Olsen Mercantile Charles is in the process of cutting lumber for the McCray order when the motor belt breaks, "LOOK OUT! Charles," Mr. Edwards exclaims as the belt almost slaps Charles in the face. Charles ducks but gets slapped a little on the back as the belt slaps down on the saw table. "Charles that was close! Are you alright? Mr. Edwards asks.

"Yeah I'm fine, what happened? Charles responded.

Mr. Hansen comes out of his office and examines the situation, "Here's the problem, the belt slid and cut by fiction against the pulleys." Mr Hansen then asks, "Is everyone alright?"

Mr. Edwards replies, "I'm fine but Charles got slapped in the back a little when the belt came down on the table."

Charles answers, "It just stings like everything else right now."

Both Hansen and Mr. Edwards understand that the devastation of the tornado wounded Charles spirit. Rev. Alden arriving at the Mill remains quiet while Hansen, Edwards and Ingalls were talking. Mr. Hansen notices Rev. Alden and asks, "How are you Rev. what can we do for you?"

Rev. Alden answers, "I'm fine, Thank you Lars. I wonder may I talk to Mr. Ingalls?"

Mr. Hansen replies, "The Mills going to be down for awhile Mr. Edwards and I can fix things around here. Charles, go with him will be ok, Thank you Rev.

Charles and Rev. Alden walk quietly but somewhat solemnly back to the Church. They sit down and are quiet for a moment when Charles talks, "Why Rev... Why did some of my livestock die, why did our food supply and crop have to ruin, why did my new horse that I still have payments on get a broken leg ,why did my calf that my little girl, Carrie loved especially have to die? And you saw it, I was almost killed at work. Rev. I never intentionally hurt others.I tithe and give to the Church, I bring my family to Church, I really didn't want to be there yesterday."

Charles paused for a moment and Rev. Alden remembered Charles' resentment of his face in Church yesterday. Charles continues, "I try to bring my family up in a way I thought would please the Lord. I'm tired Rev. I'm tired. Maybe I don't belong in Walnut Grove anymore. I have a mind to just go back to the Big words."

Reverend Alden sighs and speaks, "Charles, God has never stopped loving you. Isaiah was telling me last night how he and an old man was helping you fix your barn, Caroline spoke to me this morning sharing the blessing of how the same old man made your Sunday dinner more special by adding just what you needed. She also told me how your house seemed to be on the mend. Charles I believe that man was sent from God, (an Angel) to help you. Let me tell you a story about how my faith was tested."

Reverend Alden begins his story and continues, "Charles this Church, this congregation, this Ministry didn't come easy to me. I was young once with all the doubts that young folks have. I was not always this conservative. Now, I'm not proud of it but I had my time of sowing wild oats. It cost me Charles, then I found the Lord and invited him into my life for Salvation. Shortly thereafter, I got the calling to preach but my old life cling to me. Charles, not that I was still doing those bad things but the poor image I created for myself in those days before I knew Christ had done its well-intentioned people did not believe my sincerity for the Lord and tried to stop me from entering the Ministry. I suppose they were doing what they thought was right but it hurt me deeply to have opportunities not come my way. Now Charles, I'm human I struggled with anger, I had my days wallowing in resentment. I even questioned God. I asked God things such as why am I so burdened for your people, if your people are going to keep me from loving them. I didn't of course understand it then but I do now God's people need to see God's love through us I learned and grew in the Lord and that's what you need to do Charles. Tell me Charles has your life been all bleak over the last 48 hours? I don't believe it has, has it?"

Charles answers, "No Rev. It hasn't, thinking back I had a supportive wife that insisted we go to Church the morning after. She didn't let me sulk and encourged me to be an example to my girls. The song in Church and the message was exactly what I needed. In times like these' God does supply all our needs. We didn't know about Sunday dinner and a stranger and old man, who now I also believe was an angel sent by God stopped at our house and made our Sunday meal more special by what he added to it. Then asked me to help him with his wagon axle. When finished insisted I take a ride with him and what do you know we cross paths with Isaiah Edwards with a wagon full of lumber I needed, from Mr. Kennedy's appreciation of my wife's good deed. We all worked on the barn the animals still has shelter. My family still have shelter. Isaiah was there to warn me about the broken belt and spared me more harm than what happened and you Rev. you and I can have this conversation and I'll tell you something Rev. it has done me good. I see now how God has provided in all of this. Yes negative happens that's life but we have to look for the good around us. It's there God hasn't turned his back on his children. He nourishes their growth."

Rev. Alden replies, "Amen Charles, Amen!"

To Be Contuined...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Charles' faith is has been strengthened:

Charles is now home with his family after speaking with Rev. Alden. He apologizes to them for being so down about what has happened with the damage of the tornado. His family tells him how much they love him and that they all prayed for their Pa. They all sit down for their evening meal of Beans, Salt Pork and Berries with sugar and was so thankful they had leftovers from what the stranger, the old man, (The Angel) give them, who now they all believed was an Angel sent from God. Before they began to eat again there was a knock at the door. Charles responses, "I wonder who that could be, I'll get it."

Charles answers the door. It's Mr. Edwards among a crowd of several others from Walnut Grove. Mr. Edwards speaks, "Hello Charles, sorry to bother you and your family at meal time but we all have something we must do. Charles you will find in your barn a female Calf she will start giving milk real soon and I want you to have her."

Mr. Olsen says, "Charles ever since the first day you moved to our community I thought very highly of you and your family so here's two kerosene lamps and kerosene take it Charles, I won't accept no for an answer."

Mrs. Olsen hands Charles a new family Bible and says, "I want you to have this, besides it wasn't selling." Mrs. Olsen chuckles and Charles smiles.

Dr. Baker says, "Isaiah told me some things about what the tornado did here's a new glass window just like the old one."

Mr. Hansen says, "Charles you are a good worker at the Mill, you'll find in your barn three sacks of grain and Seed. Tomorrow, myself and some of the other men are coming out and planting a crop. Don't tell us no! we need to sweat a little more, it will be good for us."

Rev. Alden replies, "We all love and care for you and your family, you made our community a better place and because of that and because we all want to be an encouragement in time of trail we are here to say we love you and are praying for you. May God bless you and your family, Charles. I know He has because you planted the seed of being a friend so now you have the harvest of having friends again. I believe that old man was sent from God to help you see that."

Charles replies, "Yes Rev. Alden, I believe he was an Angel sent by God."

Mr. Olsen, Isaiah Edwards, Rev. Alden all give Charles a pat on the back and a hug and says, "Again we all love and deeply care for you and your family."

Charles is weeping the whole Ingalls family is weeping Charles than says, "Thank you all!" Caroline also thanks them. Laura from the dinner table gets up and goes to Mr. Edwards and hugs him and smiles up at him and he smiles down on her.

A little time passes and the Ingalls family has fixed up the place so well that a person could not tell a tornado even touched down. A Crop has been planted and sprouting up through the soil. It's Saturday evening Charles and Caroline are sitting up in bed eating popcorn Charles says to Caroline, "I think it's time to express my appreciation in Church tomorrow. I learned a lesson that I think would bless others to know."

Caroline replies, "That sounds good, Charles."

They finish their popcorn and start to sleep but before falling off too steep Caroline asks, "How was the popcorn, Charles?"

Charles replies, "It was good but it needed more salt," And then he chuckles. They give each other a kiss and fall asleep.

Sunday morning Church time the Ingalls are eager to go. They arrive and Church starts. Rev. Alden's text is Job 1, his key point was, "Hast thou considered my servent Job?" He finishes his message then announces, "Mr. Inglalls wants to say something this morning."

Charles begins, "A calling. As as you all know a bad tornado came down on my place not too long ago. A lot of damage to my property but more to my spirit. I just want to thank God today. He loved me through my time of struggle and was patient with me when I was losing my patience with Him. I also want to thank you all for all your goodness to me and my family, and to the old man, the stranger. My wife has mentioned and I believe it is true that he was sent by God, an Angel to help us also. Again thank you all!

Church was dismissed and as Charles and his family was heading home in the far distance Charles sees the old man, the stranger, The Angel. Charles just gives a big smile and The Angel smiles back.

Everything was restored to the Ingalls family, the debts were paid off, the wounded horse was good as new and Charles harvested the biggest wheat crop that year he ever had, but even a bigger harvest of both friends and faith.

The End


End file.
